This invention relates to novel hydroxy ether carboxylate salts useful as complexing agents and detergency builders, to ester and acid forms of such compounds useful as intermediates for preparation of the salts, to methods of preparing the ester, acid and salt compounds, and to detergent formulations containing the salt compounds.
The utility of compounds characterized by the ability to complex various metal and alkaline earth metal ions (particularly ions such as calcium ions which contribute to "hardness" of water) in aqueous media and/or provide, in combination with various detergent surfactants, detergent formulations of enhanced cleansing ability is well recognized by those skilled in the art. Such compounds are used in water treating applications (e.g. to "soften" water) and/or as detergency builders.
Although many compounds having complexing and/or detergency builder functionality are known, the provision of novel compounds composed of only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and having such functionality is desirable.